We’re mad about Pure Glam Dry Shampoo for getting our hair clean and our scalps feeling great with its’ organic formulation, so you can imagine how excited we are to try Pure Glam Volume Root Powder to get major volume!

Pure Glam Volume Root Powder

This hair product is a powder, much like magic Fairy Dust, and it performs as well as the highest quality Fairy Dust. The stuff you get straight from your Fairy Godmother that she made herself, not mass marketed Fairy Dust. We’re talking instant, major volume, and only where you want volume.

It is a small container at .21 oz, but it will last you a long time because you need so little of it to work. My first test was simple: sprinkle it along my middle part. I didn’t expect a lot of volume from the middle. It sprinkled from the container slowly and gently, so it was easy to control where it landed. This is also a nice feature because it negates clumps of product landing in one spot, which is a problem I have had with other volume powders.

It seemed to disappear into my dark hair immediately, unlike powders that stay a chalky, dusty white. I started lightly massaging the area, and the powder felt almost like a styling paste consistency without the gunky feeling. It quickly “dried down” and didn’t feel like I had product in at all.

The result? It is like I had the hair of my teens, in 20 seconds flat (no pun intended. My hair was the opposite of flat.) The Root Powder gave me gorgeous volume with incredible loft. And it MOVED! Usually, it takes a lot of stiff product to get this much volume, which isn’t a good look. My hair kept its’ natural swing, which is fantastic.

As with all Pure Glam products, Volume Root Powder contains certified organic ingredients, is cruelty-free, and is gluten-free!

How does Volume Root Powder accomplish all of this without having harsh chemicals in it? With a potent blend of ingredients, including silica silylate, kaolin clay, organic potato starch, organic tapioca starch, organic corn starch, and organic aloe barbedensis leaf juice, you can attain incredible volume in seconds, like you spent hours in a top stylist’s chair!

So why haven’t you heard of this amazing product yet? It’s brand new! It’s just been launched for the holiday season, so get yours now in time for upcoming parties! It is absolutely fantastic for getting the proper volume needed for an updo, especially a French Twist. We love this stuff!

We’re going to do some style tutorials on Youtube with this product soon, so be sure to watch for that. In the meantime, you’ll be able to find me standing in front of my vanity mirror tossing my head around, admiring the incredible volume in my hair…

Well-groomed nails are an important part of your beauty and style routine. But regular salon manicures are time-consuming and costly. While some salon service results cannot be duplicated as well when done at home, a quality manicure & pedicure set makes an at-home manicure an easy job to do yourself. A professional set we like is the Utilyze Professional 10-in-1 Manicure & Pedicure Set.

Utilize 10-in-1 Professional Manicure & Pedicure Set

ABOUT THE SET
In addition to the main unit, the set comes with six attachment heads and a detectable protector shield. There is a zipper pouch case to hold all the pieces together safely. The unit itself has a detachable cold LED light that makes it easy to see the areas to work, especially for toes. The adaptor has a spiral cord that makes it easy to maneuver while in use. There is an on/off switch and the attachment heads snap in quickly and securely.

MY EXPERIENCE USING THE UTILYZE PROFESSIONAL 10-in-1 MANICURE & PEDICURE SET

COMFORTABLE TO USE
The unit was easy to use, and none of the attachments were uncomfortable or painful to use, and the buffer did not feel too warm or harsh on the nails. The pressure of each head was effective but comfortable.

FAST BUT SAFE
These are professional grade and work very quickly. I like the Over-Pressure auto stop, so I don’t press down too hard and damage the nail or skin, and it is very useful if your hand accidentally slips and you unintentionally use the file on healthy skin. I slipped while using it once, and it stopped automatically, which is a nice feature.

NO OVERBUFFING
A problem I have had with some nail files and buffers is they over buff the nail, leaving it weak and damaged. My nails felt strong after using this unit.

TIP: When using each attachment head, remember to keep the unit or your fingernail in motion so as not to over-file or buff any one area, especially when using the sander, the rough shaping disk, and the cone attachments.

AN OVERVIEW OF USING THE ATTACHMENT HEADS

The SAPPHIRE CALLUS SANDER is for treating thick calluses and hardened skin on feet and hands. It is not too scratchy but gets the job done without irritation on any hardened, rough skin such as on the heels of the feet. It is much easier and faster to use this sander attachment on feet than to use a traditional pumice stone and the results are far better.

The FELT POLISH CONE smooths and polishes the nails, similar to a nail buffer. What I especially like about this cone is it gives a beautiful natural shine and surface to the nails, but it does not over-buff or burn. I have damaged my nails with other buffers that are too abrasive; this just gives a nice even surface and sheen to the nail without damaging the nail itself. Suitable for use by both men and women, nails can have a light natural, healthy sheen or a high-gloss shine if preferred.

The CYLINDRICAL MILLING CUTTER grinds down thick nails, including very thick toenails that regular nail scissors or clippers cannot cut. This head is also useful for those with medical problems that make cutting the nail ill-advised, including diabetes.

There are two round flathead disks; these are shaping disks for the actual filing and shaping of the nails:

The FINE SAPPHIRE SHAPING DISK files and smooths nails. I used this to file down my nails to an even length, remove snags, and to shape my nails. This disk works fast! Make sure to pay attention, this is NOT like absent-mindedly filing your nails with an emery board type of file, it only takes a few runs over the nail to get it into shape.

This is probably my second favorite attachment head because some of my nails recently broke short and snagged so I am cutting them shorter for a while until they grow strong and longer. This disk-shaped my uneven nails very quickly into a smooth, even shape without snags or peeling layers. I also like that it is easy to groom and shape both sides of the nail evenly on both hands by myself, which is a much more professional look than I can achieve on my own with a manual four in one buffer like I usually used.

The ROUGH SAPPHIRE SHAPING DISK trims and shortens thick nails. This shaping disk is very useful for men who wish to keep thicker nails in presentable condition, as well for women who want to file down their nails before growing them out long and healthy. This disk is also a very quick working file to remove nail length quickly and evenly without causing shreds or breaking. TIP: For both disks, try to keep the nail towards the outer edge of the circle so as not to hit the nail on the center of the head.

I used this attachment on my toenails to shape them evenly. I liked that they were rounded and shaped in a more professional and prettier way than I could do with nail scissors or cuticles and filing with an emery board.

The SAPPHIRE CONE is used to remove hard and dry skin. I used it around my nail on overgrown, dry cuticles and some rough skin on the sides of my nail. As seen in the video, it quickly sands down dry skin into a fine powder that can washes off clean. My skin was not red or irritated after use and almost all of the dead skin was removed with irritation or skin damage.

The DETACHABLE PROTECTOR can be used with any attachment head to catch the dead skin or nail debris. I found this particularly useful with the dead skin removal attachment heads so as not to have a fine powder of removed skin dispersed into the air.

MY STANDARD MANICURE & PEDICURE PREP WITH THE UNIT
I used the Fine Sapphire Shaping Disk and the Felt Polish Cone to prep for a nail polish change or to leave my nails bare. For toenails and fingernails that have become very misshapen, I use the Rough Sapphire Shaping Disk first, then the Fine Shaping Disk and Felt Polish Cone. On toes, I also do a quick treatment with the Sapphire Cone attachment to remove any dead skin, especially on the big toes.

CONCLUSION: Unkempt nails are distracting and unattractive. My DIY manicure skills are not great; the professional results look so much better. Using the Utilyze Professional Manicure & Pedicure Set to file and groom nails into a presentable shape and healthy buffed condition quickly, safely and easily makes nails look so much nicer on both men and women. I like the high-gloss sheen on my nails, even now while I am growing them out, it takes only a few minutes to care for my fingernails and even less time for my toenails. My nails are shiny and smooth and look lovely with or without nail polish!

I received this product in exchange for my unbiased review and received compensation for my time and effort. However, my experience with the product and the opinions expressed in this review are 100% mine.

Are you at that age that you are fighting aging AND acne? I think it should just be called “The Unfair Age.”

But Era Organics Manuka Honey Walnut Facial Scrub fights both at the same time and leaves skin bright and radiant.

Era Organics Manuka Honey Walnut Facial Scrub

WHAT IT DOES

Do you like the results of professional microdermabrasion, but hate the pulling on your delicate skin? Do you worry that the grit is clogging your pores, not cleansing them?

HOW IT DOES IT

Professional Microdermabrasion is pretty rough on the skin. The suction on most of the machines used in doctor’s offices seriously pulls at the skin. If you have this treatment on any regular basis, this can result in premature sagging of the skin. What’s the point of getting an expensive treatment if it is going to make you look older in the long run?

This isn’t a problem with Era Organics Manuka Honey Walnut Facial Scrub. It gently loosens dirt and blackheads the pores and sweeps them away, without any tugging or roughness. The gentle exfoliation makes it ideal for promoting collagen production as well, so facial skin looks brighter, less wrinkled, and more youthful, scars are diminished, and stretch marks get a boost towards healing.

Thanks to several ingredients in the organic formulation, skin is also deeply hydrated. That’s quite a lot from one scrub!

Era Organics Manuka Honey Walnut Facial Scrub

WHAT ARE THE INGREDIENTS

Aloe Vera is familiar to many as a plant that can soothe minor burns, scrapes, and heal the skin can also serve to nourish the skin. It contains Vitamins A, C, B, and E as well as minerals and enzymes. This food for skin can heal and hydrate, accelerate skin cell growth, provide anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. This is important in any scrub that is powerful enough to remove dead skin cells, as the skin underneath is exposed and can easily become irritated. Aloe heals naturally and quickly.

And this is not just any Aloe Vera, but a Hospital Grade Organic Aloe Vera. I didn’t know what that meant: it is the quality of Aloe Vera that heals skin well enough that it is suitable for use in Hospital level Burn Care Units.

Another ingredient is Manuka Honey, which has amazing healing and hydrating properties. An anti-aging powerhouse that boosts collagen production and cellular regeneration. It also has natural anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties to heal skin conditions including acne.

Rapeseed Oil is an anti-oxidant that preserves moisture in the skin, making it smooth and elastic. It also cleanses pores, clean the skin and gives skin a natural glow. With anti-inflammatory properties, it heals skin and reduces redness.

Walnut Shell is a finely ground powder that is hard enough to exfoliate dead skin cells but is still gentle on the skin. It is important to note the finer mill of this walnut, as the smaller the size of the powder, the gentler it is to the skin. There are some products with larger pieces of walnut and that can tear the skin. This product contains a finer mill that does not scratch. As a natural product, Walnut Shell Powder does not irritate the skin the way plastic beads or some oil based beads can cause an allergic reaction.

Orange Oil is an anti-oxidant that reduces inflammation. It also can kill bacteria and improves the complexion by increase the production of collagen resulting in the reduction of dark spots and wrinkles. The bacteria fighting and inflammation reduction properties also make it suitable for gently reducing acne without excess drying to the skin.

WHY WE RECOMMEND IT

Finding a natural active ingredient exfoliation product that gently but effectively treats both acne-prone skin and the signs of aging without causing irritation is an impressive feat.

I especially like the combination of healing and hydrating ingredients in this scrub that exfoliate away dead skin without irritating fresh skin underneath. I also like the anti-bacterial properties in the hydrating ingredients as they protect newly exposed skin and freshly cleaned pores from potential infections and breakouts. Some scrubs can actually cause acne breakouts because they remove too much skin, subjecting the skin to infection, and they contain acne-inducing ingredients. But Era Organics has a nice balance of anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial ingredients that heal, hydrate and protect freshly exfoliated skin, all while pre-emptively treating skin for acne.

TIP: Use it as an anti-aging mask by applying it to dry skin and leave it on for 5-10 minutes.

GIVEAWAY

The good folks at Era Organics are giving a Style Chicks reader a free jar of this awesome scrub! To enter, send us an email at [email protected] and tell us something you think you will like about this scrub. You can find out more information about the product from their website and social media, which is listed below. For extra entries, share something from the Era Organics website (http://www.eraorganics.com/exfoliating-facial-scrub/) on social media using their social media share buttons and let us know in your email! This contest will run through Friday, December 16th, 2016.

I received this product in exchange for my unbiased review and received compensation for my time and effort. However, my experience with the product and the opinions expressed in this review are 100% mine.

Amoda Organic Golden Turmeric Ginger Herbal Tea is a magnificent blend of organic powdered turmeric, ginger, fennel, anise seed, true cinnamon, and vanilla. Sounds like a Chai variant to you? It is along that flavor line, but it packs far more flavor, not to mention health benefits. It is pretty rare that I find a chai tea that tastes as good as it smells. This herbal tea actually tastes better than it smells, and it smells amazing!

The anti-inflammatory benefits of the ingredients, especially Tumeric and Ginger, are well documented. I take Tumeric supplements for its’ anti-inflammatory effects, but I am trying to use high-grade Tumeric in cooking more to get the most benefit from it. I also try to incorporate fresh ginger into recipes as much as I can. But what I like about Amoda Organic Golden Turmeric Ginger Herbal Tea is that it contains high-grade powdered ingredients (with no additives!) in an easy to use way that incorporates seamlessly into my tea-drinking lifestyle. I stir the powder into hot water and enjoy the spicy, savory treat while getting an incredible amount of healthy anti-inflammatory benefits. I love that it doesn’t feel like I’m choosing the healthy option, but rather than I’m choosing the tasty option.

The benefits have been impressive. My skin is glowing. I had an angry blemish that was painful and very red. After a few days of drinking this tea, I noticed that while it wasn’t full flat yet, the redness had disappeared. Usually, blemishes stay red far beyond when they are flat on me, and the redness disappears over time. Because of the powerful anti-inflammatory effects of the tea, the blemish is flesh tone and far less noticeable!

My under eyes have also shown marked improvement. During Fall allergy season, my eyes always get puffy, and for the past two weeks, my orbital skin has been puffy and dark. The tea de-inflamed the area, and my eyes look great!

How the tea affects muscle recovery is also profoundly impressive. After a good Tracy Anderson workout, I tend to feel run over by a truck the next day. If I drink this tea as my recovery drink, I feel substantially less sore. It’s not just power of suggestion, either. I had a shoulder injury that leaves the joint quite inflamed. Last night I put my hand on the affected shoulder while I was in the middle of a conversation, and it was significantly less swollen than normal. Though I was absorbed in the conversation, the reduction of inflammation was enough to make me lose my train of thought. It took me a couple of minutes to realize that it is likely due to this amazing tea!

Not to split hairs, but technically this is a tisane since it is an herbal tea, not a true tea since no actual tea leaves are involved. However, this opens up options. If you want the health benefits of green tea but dislike the taste, try addition this mix into your tea, and the vegetal taste is greatly diminished. Lyn and I acquired a taste for straight green tea over time, but it took awhile (especially when we got into Matcha.) So if you are looking to start drinking green tea (or any tea), adding this mix turns a regular cup of tea into an amazingly tasty, incredibly healthy taste treat!

Amoda Organic Golden Turmeric Ginger Herbal Tea

Mom tried it today and loved how full-bodied it is. She doesn’t like tea as much as Lyn and I do because it is, as she calls it, a “thin-bodied” beverage. She loves this tea because it is full bodied (think Hot Apple Cider straight from one of the many amazing New England orchards) and she considers it more of a savory snack for break time rather than just a hot beverage. So, if you are looking to cut out some calories by ditching your carby, sugary afternoon snack and want to replace it with a tasty, satisfying, healthy drink, this is ideal for you!

Lyn found that it had similar results for her in that it cut out her craving for a buttery carb mid-afternoon. As a family, buttery carbs are held in high culinary regard as a treat, so this is truly a testimony to this tea!

And don’t forget, it is all plant-based, organic, gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian and perfect for vegans!

I’ve been dragging lately. I was feeling tired for weeks and got sick pretty early in the season, so I have been trying to up my immune system to prevent that from reoccurring all winter long.

So I am quite happy to have found Validus Nutrition Total Synergy Premium Pre and Probiotic Blend. We tend to think of PreBiotics and Probiotics as purely for stomach health, but actually, it goes so far beyond that. Your immune system as a whole is largely based in your gut. Personally, I think of white cells in the bloodstream when I think of the immune system, but according to Validus Nutrition (and confirmed by research I did on the NIH website), 80% of the immune system is in your gut, so for optimal health, well-being, and appearance, it pays for your gut to be healthy! That is why it is so important to have a good Pre and Probiotic Blend like Validus Nutrition Total Synergy Premium Pre and Probiotic Blend.

Validus Nutrition Total Synergy Premium Pre and Probiotic Blend

Validus Nutrition Total Synergy Premium Pre and Probiotic Blend contains ten strains of Probiotics. Since many Probiotic formulas only contain a few strains, having ten strains puts this formula ahead of most of the brands you will find at the drugstore. It also contains over 50 Billion CFUs of the ten Probiotics, which is an optimal level.

For as much as we hear about Probiotics, we don’t hear a lot about Prebiotics. So what are Prebiotics? I like Validus Nutrition’s explanation: they are the food for the Probiotics. As you know, Probiotics are bacteria. Good bacteria, but bacteria nonetheless. Bacteria needs to eat. Give it good food in the form of Prebiotics so that the Probiotics can do their job! So it is optimal to have a formula that contains both Prebiotics and Probiotics. This formula contains two well-known high-grade Prebiotics.

Validus Nutrition’s blend is easy to integrate into your routine. One capsule in the morning before food and you are done. I keep the bottle by my bed and have it with my morning glass of water. I often forget to take certain supplements on time, but having it right there when I get up makes it easy to remember.

I’ve noticed I have more energy since I started these and my skin has a bit of a glow. It makes sense that when your immune system is operating better that you will have more energy and your skin reflects the general state of your health, so I’m thrilled to have found this formula!

Validus Nutrition Total Synergy Premium Pre and Probiotic Blend

The bottle is a sixty day supply, and unlike some Pre and Probiotic formulas, does not need to be stored in the refrigerator thanks to a specially crafted bottle. It is also vegetarian-friendly, gluten-free, lactose-free, dairy free, Kosher, and doesn’t have artificial flavors or preservatives. The company also offers a full refund if you find that it doesn’t work for you, so it is definitely worth a try!

I received this product in exchange for my unbiased review and received compensation for my time and effort. However, my experience with the product and the opinions expressed in this review are 100% mine.